Over the years, General Motors has positioned Chevrolet vehicles as a great American brand. Its slogans include “An American Revolution,” “See the USA in your Chevrolet!,” “The Heartbeat of America,” and “Chevrolet, building a better way (to see the USA).”

Now, with the tremendous growth of the international market, General Motors is taking a new tack. And foreign sales surpass those in the United States.

As Jeff Bennett reports for the Wall Street Journal:

“Chevys account for 70% of GM’s 9.3 million in global vehicle sales and were a big chunk of its $152.26 billion in 2012 sales. But GM sorely needs a reinvigorated Chevrolet to reverse a market share decline. The mainstream brand’s share is now tracking at a historic low in the U.S., where it fell to 12.8% in May 2013. Six years ago it was 14%. Chief Executive Dan Akerson is pushing to make Chevrolet the company’s key brand in 140 countries around the world by offering a wide selection, from low-cost compact cars to family sedans and work trucks. By the end of this year, its reach will be even broader, with 13 new or revamped Chevy vehicles in the U.S. and another 12 in international markets.”

“The biggest challenge is to bring together the two quite different Chevrolets. At home, there is the Chevrolet that U.S. consumers have known for more than a century, dominated by big sedans such as the Impala and the Silverado pickup truck. Elsewhere, Chevrolet has quietly become a critical part of the company’s sales in Asia, Europe, and Latin America and represents GM’s best hope for expanding its market share. In China, GM sold 627,000 Chevrolets last year, and 643,000 were sold in Brazil. The Chevy Sail, a small sedan, is the company’s best-selling vehicle in China with more than 220,000 sales and 61,600 exports last year. In Brazil, GM sold 137,000 Chevy Celtas last year.”